All The Empty Glasses
by Thargelion
Summary: "So now you're going to spend the rest of your life trapped in a wine glass?" "Perhaps." / A study and interpretation on the character of Torol Sadeas.


**The following is a fan interpretation considering the history and character of Torol Sadeas told entirely in dialogue. Italics equal Sadeas.**

 **For the Caesar's Palace Monthly Oneshot Contest, July '15.**

* * *

 **the highprince of wine**

"You're drunk."

 _"No, I'm not."_

"Damnation, Torol, I've known you for years and I know for a fact that you most certainly are drunk."

 _"Slow down; I can't even understand you."_

"Highprince of Wine."

 _"King of Fools."_

"I'm serious."

 _"So am I, Gavilar."_

"Says the man who can't even walk in a straight line properly at the moment."

 _"Storm off."_

"You're talking to your king."

 _"I storming well know who my king is, thank you very much."_

"I'm worried about you."

 _"Everyone gets drunk sometimes, Gavilar."_

"So you admit it now?"

 _"What?"_

"That you're drunk?"

 _"No."_

"You just did."

 _"I'm fine."_

"Listen to me, you're not fine and I know it."

 _"Hard to be fine when you're stuck here in the middle of things."_

"The middle of things?"

 _"You know what I mean, Gavilar. I mean that you and Dalinar are making me realize something. I'm nothing more than the middle line, hearing about your victories and how wonderful your lives are. Has it ever occurred to you that I don't want to be at the storming middle?"_

"Stormfather, Torol, you're not at the middle."

 _"As if you would know."_

"What's so bad about the middle?"

 _"How you're telling me I'm in it."_

"Well?"

 _"It's even worse than being at the bottom. It seems like everyone I know is at the top."_

"You really are drunk."

 _"No, I'm not."_

"Torol Sadeas, I swear, if you would just admit it-"

 _"Fine! So maybe I'm not exactly sober at the moment, but everyone drinks here. It's practically tradition."_

"But it's not a problem for them."

 _"Leave me be, Gavilar."_

"I don't like seeing you like this, you know."

 _"I know it."_

"Then stop."

 _"I can't."_

"Just try. For me. Aren't we friends?"

 _"...Yes."_

"So you'll try?"

 _"Fine, but you'll soon see that I'm unbearable sober."_

* * *

 **withdrawal**

"Torol Sadeas, you look like an absolute madman."

 _"I swear, Dalinar Kholin, if you don't shut up at this exact moment, I am going to-"_

"Drink all the wine in the room?"

 _"I can't believe you're still talking."_

"Snap at everyone because of your hangover?"

 _"It's astounding, truly astounding."_

"You've been staring at that table with the wine on it for hours."

 _"Better than looking at you."_

"I'm just telling you it as it is, Torol."

 _"And so am I, Dalinar."_

"Stormfather. You're almost more pleasant when you're drunk."

 _"Tell that to Gavilar. He refuses to believe it."_

"...I can tell that you want to have a drink right about now."

 _"You're not helping, Dalinar."_

"Stop looking at that storming wine or people will think you want to bed the serving girl."

 _"But I'm not looking at her. I'm looking at the wine."_

"You're hopeless."

* * *

 **on grief**

"Sadeas."

 _"Kholin."_

"Are you drunk?"

 _"And what else in Damnation does it look like, Kholin?"_

"Gavilar wouldn't want you to drink."

 _"Then why were you drunk off your head while he was being murdered?"_

"...I didn't come here to talk about that, Sadeas."

 _"Well, that's what I want to talk about."_

"Put down the bottle."

 _"Says you."_

"I'm not the man I was that night, Sadeas. I've healed."

 _"That's what I'm doing right now. Healing."_

"No, you're drowning your storming emotions in wine."

 _"You can't make me stop."_

"Gavilar did a pretty good job of it."

 _"He was the only one who could."_

"So now you're going to spend the rest of your life trapped in a wine glass?"

 _"Perhaps."_

"We've all grieved for him. If you could only let go, perhaps you could-"

 _"But you haven't let go, have you? How are you supposed to do something like that? Just decide, 'Well, I no longer care about my dead best friend!'?"_

"Sadeas, I don't want to argue with you."

 _"But I want to argue with you."_

"Fine. Have at me."

 _"You don't_ understand _, Dalinar. He was a part of me. I cared about him -and I still do- more than you will ever know.'_

"You called me Dalinar."

 _"Kholin. I meant Kholin."_

"I'm sure I don't understand. I'll leave you to your misery, then. Good day, Sadeas."

 _"Good day, Kholin."_

* * *

 **the poor posture of torol sadeas**

"Well, well, if it isn't the Highprince of Being Horridly Drunk."

 _"If it isn't the Highprince of Being a Storming Idiot."_

"So, you're ready to talk to me again?"

 _"We're talking right now, aren't we?"_

"Just answer me, Sadeas."

 _"If being ready to talk to you means being sober, no."_

"You're not doing well."

 _"I know how I'm doing and I'm doing just fine."_

"You're not doing fine. You're barely holding yourself up, and everyone can tell it."

 _"So that's the latest gossip? The Poor Posture of Torol Sadeas?"_

"Sadeas, Gavilar's death isn't exactly recent anymore. You need to move on."

 _"Who says I haven't?"_

"The empty glass in your hand right now."

 _"I shouldn't have asked."_

"The way you get angry just hearing his name."

 _"I'm not storming angry."_

"The way you're drunk."

 _"I'm fine, Kholin."_

"It's like you're drowning out your memories."

 _"Perhaps I am."_

"Remember that feast a while ago? Before Gavilar's death?"

 _"Kindly stop talking to me."_

"You were doing better, Sadeas. I lied. You _are_ more pleasant when you're sober."

 _"Well, that's a right shame, isn't it?"_

"It's all right to admit that you need help."

 _"But I don't need help."_

"Sadeas, please. I'm only trying to help you."

 _"And I don't_ need _your help."_

"Fine."

 _"Exactly. I'm_ fine _."_

"Well, if you're better off on your own-"

 _"-which I most certainly am-"_

"-then, goodbye for now, Sadeas."

 _"Goodbye then, Kholin."_ A pause. _"Dalinar. I meant Dalinar."_


End file.
